HOSA Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

Bronchodilators are medications specifically designed to increase the diameter of the bronchi, the air passages that lead to the lungs. This effect is achieved by relaxing the smooth muscles surrounding the airways, which alleviates conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By widening the bronchi, bronchodilators allow for improved airflow and easier breathing for patients experiencing respiratory distress.

Steroids, while they have anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce swelling in the airways, do not directly act to increase airway diameter like bronchodilators do. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and do not have any effect on the diameter of the bronchi. Analgesics primarily relieve pain and do not impact respiratory function directly. Thus, bronchodilators are the correct choice when discussing medications that specifically enhance bronchi diameter.